tug
/tʌɡ/ · tug
noun
- A sudden powerful pull. The earthquake caused a sudden tug on the building's foundation.
- A tugboat. The tug navigated through the crowded harbor.
- A kind of vehicle used for conveying timber and heavy articles. The logging company used a tug to transport the heavy logs to the mill.
verb
- To pull or drag with great effort. The police officers tugged the drunkard out of the pub.
- To pull hard repeatedly. He lost his patience trying to undo his shoe-lace, but tugging it made the knot even tighter.
- To tow by tugboat. The tugboat tugged the stranded ship back to shore.
Did you know? The word 'tug' is also associated with the term 'tug of war', a popular sport where two teams compete to pull a rope in opposite directions.